Louis simonet



@uiten rftats airnt ffre.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS POR FORMNG HATS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT'MAY CONCERN:

Beit known that I, LOUIS SIMONET, manufacturer', residing in Paris, France, have invented a new or improved Apparatus for Forming, Setting, and Fashioning Hats of all descriptions; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the saine, reference being had to the annexed sheet of drawing making a part of the same.

My invention refers to an apparatus for fashioning, pressing, and setting hats of every description, straw hats, sham straw hats, beaver hats, or hats made of any filaments, etc., etc. The hat is. placed on a mould of suit-able form, which is heated by hot air or steam, or by burners. I employ steam by preference. On the hat placed and supported on the said mould is made to t a hollow cupola shell or dome, having at its lower part a flexible film of rubber, or other suitable material, which exactly assumes the form and shape of the hat. In the interior of the said cupola water is forced, which, acting on the India-rubber iilm, causes the same to act upon the hatso 4as to press, set, and fashion it in the shape required. In the annexed drawing- Figurel is a side elevation Aof this apparatus entire.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the upper portion thereof.

Figure 3 is a central vertical section through the upper portion.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is a hollow cast-iron frame, which supports the whole apparatus. At its lower part is a reservoir for water, as indicated by a. ZJ is a dome, the lower part of which has a iiex'ible film or diaphragm, O, adapted to be applied to the interior of the hat, and to assume the form thereof. This donne is made to rotate on the bearing c, through which is forced in, by a pump, the water which by swelling the flexible film causes it to assume the shape of the interior of the hat and to press this upon the mould w'. d is a crown ring, bayonet-joint ring, or circular box,

.connecting the cupola to the fra-me a during the period while pressure is exerted on the hat. When the pressd ure exerted on the hat is released the dome b is liberated from the column a by the crown d being partially turned. The construction and operation of this joint are very plainly shown in the figures. The lower edge of the dome b is formed by a separate ring, b', which is strongly bolted thereto and holds the rubber diaphragm 0 by its edges. The outer face of the ring b is notched or provided with a series of strong segmental projections and recesses, as represented. The inner facev of the bayonet ring Z has an internal ange at its upper edge and unolher at its lower edge. The lower ange is plain; the upper one is notched to match the projections on the ring b before described. By partially turning the bayonet ring elv the dome b may be confined or released at pleasure. e is a counter-weight lever to aid in lifting'up the dome b and allowing itto rock. ff is a twoehambered pump, taking its water from the reservoir beneath, or at the lower part of the column a, and forcing it into thedonic b through the tube g, which water, being raised to forty or more or less atmospheres, swells up the flexible hn and forces it into the hat for the purpose explained. The pump is, as already said, double chamberetl, and toward the end ofthe operation, in order to increase the pressure, I work with vone chamber, f', only, which shifting isoperatcd by the valve 7L. Opening this valve allows the water to flow idly back from the larger pumpf, and allows the whole force to beconcentrated on the small pump f. t manometer for indicating the pressure. j sucking tube of thepump ff for elevating water from the reservoir below. 7c void space for` admitting 'the steam, whereby is heated the mould w, upon which is placed and rests the hat to be worked. Steam is supplied for heating the mould 1u, from a boiler not-1epresented, through the pipe fc. The water pro* duced by condensing of the steam is conveyed down into the reservoir a belou through the tube fc. When the pressure has been given during the required time the water, which was forced up by the pumps into the dome Z1, is `allowed to run down again into the reservoir a through the tube g/ provided with the cock e. When the hat is completed it is to be taken out from the apparatus aud another substituted and the operations repeated. Z is a handle for lifting the cupola t. The bearing c is provided with a stuiling-box. is a bracket for holding the hollow axis C. Its position is adjusted by screws o 0, and nutspp, arranged as represented, so that it may be raised and lowered and moved outward and inward to adjust it accurately to different moulds, w, and to diferent thicknesses of the rubber diaphragm O. on is an cpeningforuied in the upper lpart of the framing a, both for diminishing'V the weight thereof` and for the passage of water into the reservoir a below. u is a discharge-cock of cupola I1, which allows nir to enter and be discharged as desired.

lsubstantinlly its and lfor the purposes herein set forth.

In the apparatus, as described,- the hat to be dressed is placed on n solid mould heated by the steam inthe space k, The cupola b is then depressed so as to fit thereon, und after being strongly and tightly locked by partially turningthe bayonet ring cl the pump ff is Worked, and the water forced into the dome I) causes tho elastic lm to tit ull the sinuositiesiri the heated hut. Then the cock or vulve h is turned to render the pump f/ ineffective, and the action is continued, throwing un immense hydraulic pressure into the dome I), und thus upon the hat, which is thus'ncted uponznnd compressed and fashioned completely, every portion of it. Two or three minutes will usually suffice for the operation, the duration of 'which depends on the nature of the hat, after- Which the cock z is opened, the circuler coupling box or bayonet ring d is turned, und the cupola b, being dis connected, is mede to rock by means of its handle Z und the counter-Weight lever e, und the hat is withdrawn ready fashioned and set.

Mai-ny or all parts of my machine arc susceptible of mii-ny variations in form and material Without deportl ing from the principle of my invention. vIdo-not confine myself to the precise forms shown. Thus, for example, it is not essentiel that the part d shell be exactly dome-shaped, although I esteem that the strongest form of the construction. Again, it is not -nceessniy that the diaphragm O be plein or neurlyplnin. It is preferable to have it made in u form very nearly like the interior of the het to be tren-ted; and again, it is not necessary to heat the mould w by steam, ns it muy' be heated from below by gas domes. These nre but u few of the modifications which muy be madeby any good mechanic. I

Hoving now fully described my invention, what I claim as new in mnchines for treating hats, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows: V

1. I claim locking und unlocking the domo b carrying the diaphragm O sind the several connections by a bayonet joint, constructed und arranged substantially as und for the purposes herein set forth.

2. I claim, in combination with the turning dome und its connections, the fixed frame a and its connec* tions, and the forcing .means f, etc., the adjustable bracket t', supporting the wutercztrrying joint c, so that it een be moved horizontally and vertically, substantially us and for the purpose herein set forth.

8. I claim, in combination with the dome-, diaphragm O, Water joint or hinge c, mould w, and locking and unlocking means, as herein specified, the iluid reservoir a', constructed in and forming :t part of the framing fr.

L. SIMONE'I.

Witnesses:

C. DnMoT, A. GUIONN. 

